Coffin-fastener



(No Model.)

0. E. RICHARDS.

OOFPIN FASTENER.

No. 424,618. Patented Apr. 1,1890

WITNESSESt INVENTOH ['kar/es U7! ATTORNEYS,

N PETERS, Phuto-mho n hcr. Wmhi nnnnnnn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. RICHARDS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

COFFlN-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,618, dated April 1, 1890.

Application filed April 29, 1889. Serial No. 309,114. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fastenin gs for Burial- Oaskets, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention is an improvement of the mechanism which I have described and claimed in patent application Serial No.

302,859, which I caused to be filed on the 11th day of March, 1889, for an improvement in fasteners for coffins, which was allowed on the 13th day of April, 1889.

The nature of the improvement is hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and subsequently pointed out in the claim.

Figure 1 is a view illustrating part of a burial-casket and the fastening mechanism with my improvementattached. Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are detail sectional views illustrating the same in different positions.

In the drawings, 1) designates a part of the side of a burial-casket, and a a part of the cover thereof.

p designates a metallic plate fastened upon the edge of the casket over a mortise. In this plate is cut an L-shaped mortise designated by 0, and a notch designated by 0, as illustrated. There should be four of thesetwo on either side-so disposed that they will be near the ends of the casket.

e designates a catch of the form illustrated. This catch is fastened by its base 0 to the edge of the casket-cover. There are four of these catches, disposed and arranged to engage the mortisesin the plates 19, so that if they be all put in the wide part of the slots 0 and then slipped with the cover until the necks of the catches come into the narrow parts of the slots the cover will be firmly held in the casket. To prevent the necks of the catches from slipping out of the narrow parts of the slots, the head 0" of the spring 0 drops into the notch 0. When this spring 0 is lifted upward, so as to bring its head out of engagement from the notch 0,thc necks of the catches may be slipped out into the wide part of the slot 0. Then the cover may be lifted off entirely, or it may be raised by one edge, the catch on the edge acting as a hinge, until it assumes the position illustrated in Fig. at.

Thus far the device is as described and claimed in my said patent. It has been found, however, that the weight of the lid makes the fibers of the cloth with which the casket is covered interlock each other where the lid and the edge of the casket come together. From this interlocking sometimes arises considerable difficulty in removing the lid or in putting it on. It is to obviate this that I have invented my present improvement, which is as follows: At the back of the catch 6, upon the plate 0, I provide a lug h, which, when the lid is slipped forward to bring the neck of the catch into the narrow partof the L.-shaped slot, slips upon the cloth covering, prevents the fibers of the cloth upon the adjacent surfaces from interlocking when the neck of the catch is in the narrow part of said slot, binds upon the plate 13, and prevents the cover from being or becoming loose on the casket, and thus I am enabled to keep the cover tight until the casket has been used for an interment.

hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a casket-fastener, the combination, with the catch 6 and plate 0, of the lug h and the keeper-plate 19, wherein the said catch is fastened and whereon the said lug impinges, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES E. RICHARDS. Witnesses:

FEEDK. W. RUBIEN, THOMAS SMITH. 

